Optical Ferrule and Optical Plug Connector Having an Optical Ferrule

Abstract

Optical ferrule includes a fixing area for fixing an axial end section of the optical waveguide. The fixing area is designed such that a longitudinal axis of the axial end section of the optical waveguide is alignable in a plug-in direction S of the optical ferrule. The optical ferrule further includes an optical area for beamforming between a light beam bundle transmitted in the optical waveguide and the light beam bundle transmitted in a focused or collimated manner in a free space. The optical area axially adjoins the fixing area in the plug-in direction S and a beamforming means having an optical axis extending in the plug-in direction S is formed therein. The optical ferrule further includes at least one guide area having a longitudinal extension in the plug-in direction S, which has a plurality of grooved segments.

1 . An optical ferrule for aligning an optical waveguide with a counter optical waveguide of an optical counter ferrule, the optical ferrule comprising:
 a fixing portion for fixing an axial end section of the optical waveguide, wherein the fixing portion is designed such that a longitudinal axis of the axial end section of the optical waveguide is alignable in a plug-in direction S of the optical ferrule,   an optical portion, for beamforming between a light beam bundle transmitted in the optical waveguide and a light beam bundle transmitted in a focused or collimated manner in a free space, which axially adjoins the fixing portion in the plug-in direction S, the optical portion comprising a beamforming means having an optical axis extending in the plug-in direction S, and   at least one guide portion having a longitudinal extension in the plug-in direction S,   wherein each of the at least one guide portion includes at least one grooved segment,   wherein each groove segment of the at least one grooved segment is formed laterally adjacent to the beamforming means and is configured to align itself with a corresponding ribbed segment of an associated counter guide portion of the optical counter ferrule.   
     
     
         2 . The optical ferrule of  claim 1 ,
 wherein each of the at least one guide portion additionally comprises an at least one ribbed segment that axially adjoins a corresponding grooved segment of the at least one grooved segment of the guide portion in the plug-in direction S, wherein the ribbed segment is configured to align itself with a corresponding grooved segment of the associated counter guide portion of the counter ferrule.   
     
     
         3 . The optical ferrule of  claim 2 ,
 wherein, in each of the at least one guide portion, each of the grooved segment of the at least one grooved segment and each of the ribbed segment of the at least one ribbed segment has a planar first guide surface, which lies either in a first sectional plane of the optical ferrule or parallel to the first sectional plane of the optical ferrule.   
     
     
         4 . The optical ferrule of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the first sectional plane is either spanned by the optical axes of the beamforming means or is formed by a plane of symmetry of the optical axes of the beamforming means.   
     
     
         5 . The optical ferrule of  claim 3 ,
 wherein a first centering surface is formed in an end section, which is in front in the plug-in direction S, of the planar first guide surface of each ribbed segment of the at least one ribbed segment.   
     
     
         6 . The optical ferrule of  claim 3 ,
 wherein a first centering support for fine alignment between the ferrule and the counter ferrule protrudes out of the planar first guide surface in each grooved segment of the at least one grooved segment of each of the at least one guide portion.   
     
     
         7 . The optical ferrule of  claim 2 ,
 wherein, in each of the at least one guide portion, each grooved segment of the at least one grooved segment and each ribbed segment of the at least one ribbed segment has a planar second guide surface oriented orthogonally to an associated planar first guide surface.   
     
     
         8 . The optical ferrule of  claim 7 ,
 wherein, in each of the at least one guide portion, a second centering surface is formed in an end section, which is in front in the plug-in direction S, of the planar second guide surface of each ribbed segment of the at least one ribbed segment.   
     
     
         9 . The optical ferrule of  claim 7   wherein, in each of the at least one guide portion, a third centering surface is formed in an end section, which is in front in the plug-in direction, of the planar second guide surface of each grooved segment of the at least one grooved segment.   
     
     
         10 . The optical ferrule of  claim 7 ,
 wherein a second centering support for fine alignment between the optical ferrule and the optical counter ferrule protrudes out of the planar second guide surface of each grooved segment of the at least one grooved segment of each of the at least one guide portion.   
     
     
         11 . The optical ferrule of  claim 10 ,
 wherein each first centering support and its associated second centering support lie on a second sectional plane of the optical ferrule.   
     
     
         12 . The optical ferrule of  claim 3 ,
 wherein at least one centering means having at least one further centering surface, which has a first directional component in the plug-in direction S and a second directional component in a direction opposite to a surface vector of the planar first guide surface, is formed in the optical ferrule laterally to the beamforming means and to each guide portion.   
     
     
         13 . The optical ferrule of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the at least one further centering surface includes a fourth centering surface and a fifth centering surface,   wherein the fourth centering surface is configured for rough centering of the optical ferrule and the optical counter ferrule in a second transverse direction z,   wherein the fourth centering surface is axially upstream in the plug-in direction S from the fifth centering surface, and wherein the fifth centering surface is configured for fine centering of the optical ferrule and the optical counter ferrule in the second transverse direction z.   
     
     
         14 . An optical plug connector comprising:
 an optical ferrule including
 (a) a fixing portion for fixing an axial end section of an optical waveguide, wherein the fixing portion is designed such that a longitudinal axis of the axial end section of the optical waveguide is alignable in a plug-in direction S of the optical ferrule, 
 (b) an optical portion, for beamforming between a light beam bundle transmitted in the optical waveguide and a light beam bundle transmitted in a focused or collimated manner in a free space, which axially adjoins the fixing portion in the plug-in direction S, the optical portion comprising a beamforming means having an optical axis extending in the plug-in direction S, and 
 (c) at least one guide portion having a longitudinal extension in the plug-in direction S, wherein each of the at least one guide portion includes at least one grooved segment, wherein each groove segment of the at least one grooved segment is formed laterally adjacent to the beamforming means and is configured to align itself with a corresponding ribbed segment of an associated counter guide portion of an optical counter ferrule; 
   a spring; and   a plug connector housing accommodating the optical ferrule and the spring,   wherein the spring is arranged between the plug connector housing and the optical ferrule in the plug-in direction S such that the spring is pre-tensioned, and   wherein the optical ferrule is arranged so that it is elastically movable in the plug-in direction S in the plug connector housing by a spring force of the pre-tensioned spring.   
     
     
         15 . An optical plug connection comprising:
 an optical plug connector and an associated optical counter plug connector,
 wherein the optical plug connector comprises 
   i) an optical ferrule including:
 (a) a fixing portion for fixing an axial end section of the optical waveguide, wherein the fixing portion is designed such that a longitudinal axis of the axial end section of the optical waveguide is alignable in a plug-in direction S of the optical ferrule, 
 (b) an optical portion, for beamforming between a light beam bundle transmitted in the optical waveguide and a light beam bundle transmitted in a focused or collimated manner in a free space, which axially adjoins the fixing portion in the plug-in direction S, the optical portion comprising a beamforming means having an optical axis extending in the plug-in direction S, and 
 (c) at least one guide portion having a longitudinal extension in the plug-in direction S, wherein each of the at least one guide portion includes at least one grooved segment, wherein each groove segment of the at least one grooved segment is formed laterally adjacent to the beamforming means and is configured to align itself with a corresponding ribbed segment of an associated counter guide portion of an optical counter ferrule; 
   (ii) a spring; and   (iii) a plug connector housing accommodating the optical ferrule and the spring, wherein the spring is arranged between the plug connector housing and the optical ferrule in the plug-in direction S such that the spring is pre-tensioned, and wherein the optical ferrule is arranged so that it is elastically movable in the plug-in direction S in the plug connector housing by a spring force of the pre-tensioned spring; and   wherein the optical counter plug connector comprises (a) the optical counter ferrule and (b) a counter plug connector housing accommodating the optical counter ferrule and connectable to the plug connector housing,   wherein the optical ferrule and the optical counter ferrule are opto-mechanically coupled with one another such that, in each guide portion of the optical ferule, each grooved segment of the at least one grooved segment accommodates a corresponding ribbed segment of the associated counter guide portion of the optical counter ferrule.   
     
     
         16 . The optical ferrule of  claim 1 , wherein the beamforming means is a converging lens. 
     
     
         17 . The optical ferrule of  claim 3 , wherein, in each of the at least one guide portion, each grooved segment of the at least one grooved segment and each ribbed segment of the at least one ribbed segment has a planar second guide surface oriented orthogonally to an associated planar first guide surface. 
     
     
         18 . The optical ferrule of  claim 5 , wherein the first centering surface is a chamfer. 
     
     
         19 . The optical ferrule of  claim 8 , wherein the second centering surface is a chamfer. 
     
     
         20 . The optical ferrule of  claim 9 , wherein the third centering surface is a chamfer.